EagleFest 03 kicks off football and opening of school

SUNY College at Brockport is starting the 2003-04 academic year with a celebration Friday and Saturday, September 5 and 6. The community is invited to participate.

Festivities begin with a Golden Eagle Football Team Rally, Friday, September 5, 5 to 11 p.m. on Plateau Field, west of the Allen Administration building on New Campus Drive.

Food will be available beginning at 5 p.m. The summer barbecue menu will feature charbroiled baby back ribs, grilled chicken w/fruit salsa and a seafood salad along with bowtie pasta salad, vegetarian lasagna Florentine, roasted summer vegetables, yellow rice w/black beans, a dessert and beverages. Dinner is $6 per person if tickets are purchased by September 2. Food tickets can be purchased at the Parking Services Office on New Campus Drive or the BSG Box Office in the Seymour College Union. Ticket prices go up to $8 after September 2.

The pep rally/bonfire starts at 7 p.m. with College President Dr. Paul Yu and Golden Eagles Head Coach Rocco Salomone and the entire nationally ranked Golden Eagles football team. The Golden Eagles football team has been in the NCAA Division III playoffs for the last three years. They also were awarded the ECAC Team of the Year Award and the ECAC's Lambert Trophy. The Golden Eagles are the ninth-ranked Division III college in the country according to the 2003-04 Street and Smith Pre-season Poll.

Four bands will perform during the evening: One Hot Mania, a Red Hot Chili Peppers cover band, Bit Part, Veluxe (blues/rock), and Five Watt Bulb, (alternative rock). Fireworks will follow the pep rally with music until about 11 p.m.

Game Day, Saturday, September 6 starts at 11 a.m. with a Pre-Game Block Party featuring Superbowl party band Nik and the Nice Guys. Food will be available from the Red Osier, Flash's Tavern and Abbott's Custard.

Kickoff is at 1:30 p.m. for the game between the Golden Eagles and the Cortland Red Dragons. Admission to the game is free, and the Brockport Student Government will provide Thunderstix noisemakers to all fans as long as supplies last.

Cross country fans will enjoy the Brockport Invitational that begins at noon on Plateau Field, west of the Allen Administration Building on New Campus Drive.